1776 musical: Encyclopedia - 1776 musical

1776 (musical)

1776 is the title of a 1969 Broadway musical and its 1972 film version. Peter Stone wrote its book and Sherman Edwards its music and lyrics. Peter H. Hunt directed both the original Broadway production and the movie. Both the stage version and the film starred William Daniels as John Adams, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson, and Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin. (Rex Everhart replaced Da Silva on the original Broadway cast album.) 1776 won the 1969 Tony Award for Best Musical, for Best Featured Actor in a Musical (for Ronald Holgate as Richard Henry Lee), and for Best Direction of a Musical. It was also nominated for the Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (for Virginia Vestoff as Abigail Adams) and for Best Scenic Design.

1776 was revived in 1997, with Brent Spiner as Adams, Pat Hingle as Franklin, and Paul Michael Vallee as Jefferson. The revival was nominated for the Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (for Gregg Edelman as Edward Rutledge).

Although it tells the story of what happened at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1776 leading up to the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, and it accurately portrays the serious personal and political issues at stake -- frequently in the characters' own words, written by them at the time -- it remains a musical comedy. The play has often been criticized for straining too hard for historical accuracy instead of exercising literary license when that would help the plot or presentation along.

The 1972 film version was marred by controversy as then President Richard Nixon successfully lobbied his friend, producer Jack L. Warner to cut the song "Cool, Cool, Considerate Men" from the film release because he believed it to be an attack against the Republican Party. The song was restored in the 2003 DVD release of the film as well as on the earlier laserdisc release.

1776 musical - Musical Numbers

This list is based on the original cast recording listings

1. Overture
   
2. Sit Down, John
   
3. Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve / Till Then
   
4. The Lees of Old Virginia
   
5. But, Mr. Adams
   
6. Yours, Yours, Yours
   
7. He Plays the Violin
   
8. Cool, Cool, Considerate Men
   
9. Momma Look Sharp
   
10. The Egg
    
11. Molasses to Rum
    
12. Is Anybody There?
    
13. Finale

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "1776 musical", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki